Assistant Professor in Interior Design

Job description / Role

The Design School at the Dubai campus seeks recruit enthusiastic academics with experience in teaching and scholarship or research. Successful candidates will be expected to build research over time and showcase innovative teaching pedagogies. Successful candidates will also be expected to develop strong links to colleagues at the Scottish campuses to deliver high-quality learning and teaching, to contribute to the continued development of the programmes offered to students, and to develop external engagement endeavours in association (and as appropriate) with the Academic Schools in Edinburgh, Dubai, Galashiels, and Malaysia.

The successful candidate will possess broad practical and theoretical knowledge of various topics in 21st-century interior architecture and design practices and theories. We are particularly interested in receiving applications from candidates with expertise in Co-design, Contemporary Interior Architecture and Design – creative practices and theories, business practices and ethics - and Design Thinking 2.0.

Postholders will play a key role in connecting with our internal and external stakeholders to embed interior architecture design practices and principles into the curriculum, overseeing the development of industry-facing programmes and the creation of courses to support student employability.

Teaching and scholarship or research should be grounded in 21st century design studies with appropriate input from historical, theoretical, and practical perspectives. Given the broad, fast-moving, and collaborative nature of today’s industries and associated technologies, we expect the successful individual to design new content and courses proactively, within and across the traditional discipline boundaries. We also expect the successful applicant to cooperatively contribute to teaching existing courses as well as create new ones across the campuses where and as it benefits the student experience.

The role will be based at the University's campus in Dubai. Courses and programmes will be delivered in English and so fluency in English is essential. An induction programme will be delivered to all new academic staff on Heriot-Watt's standards and values, and to give practical experience on preparation, delivery, and assessment of teaching.

Key Duties & Responsibilities
• Undertake teaching and assessment duties on academic programmes.
• Support colleagues in the Design School and other Schools at Heriot-Watt University in the delivery of courses and other activities to support the delivery of HWU's aims.
• Develop relevant materials in appropriate formats for the future of design as a discipline.
• Contribute to the content, design and delivery of the curriculum, and the quality of teaching and learning, in consultation with colleagues and within the international structures and mechanisms established by the University.
• Review teaching design and delivery by obtaining and analysing feedback from students and peers.
• Support the accreditation processes of professional bodies.
• Mentor and supervise students, including PhD students (as appropriate), providing effective, well documented, and timely feedback, both formative and summative.
• Provide pastoral support, recognising when to refer a student for further support. Play a key role in the delivery and support of an excellent student learning and living experience at HWU.
• Develop the level of subject expertise in line with latest development in business enterprise, scholarship, research, and or innovation, and ensure these developments are reflected in teaching materials and methods.
• Build and conduct scholarship or research in one or more of the Design and or Dubai Campus areas at internationally competitive levels.
• Develop and maintain strong links with creative design industries, external organisations, and the education sector.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues in the UK, at other campuses, and with external networks both for the exchange of information, to share learning, and to form relationships for future collaboration.
• Conduct and engage in peer review of teaching and research - locally, nationally, and internationally.
• Undertake a proactive role in promoting and marketing design at the University, ensuring the effective recruitment of students and the achievement of recruitment targets. Play a full role in Open Days and other student recruitment events.
• Play a full role in research impact, community events and public engagement.
• Undertake leadership and administrative tasks associated with programme and course planning, preparation for examination boards and progression boards, etc, as instructed. Participate in relevant committees.
• Associate Professors will be expected to undertake additional leadership and management responsibilities.
• Associate Professors are also expected to publish and engage in high quality research, submit to the RAE and engage in funded research projects.
• Undertake continuous professional development (CPD) and participate in staff development activities.

About the Company

Heriot-Watt University was the first overseas university to set up in Dubai, offering top quality British education to undergraduate and postgraduate students and executives from the Gulf and further afield.

Heriot-Watt was invited to Dubai to provide specialized programmes in the fields of management, engineering, built environment, food science and fashion.

The University has been operating in Dubai for over a decade and the brand new, purpose-built campus offers excellent facilities and programmes ranging from Masters programmes in disciplines as challenging and diverse as Petroleum Engineering, Construction Project Management, Management, Energy, Information Technology and the world-renowned Edinburgh Business School MBA, to undergraduate degrees in Management, Construction, Quantity Surveying and Engineering.